Quit everything , and start again over 50?

another_casualty

True what you say Anna . Some people have great expectations .
TBH , if I was gonna ask the help of Phil &kirsty it would've been
Last year .
Contemplating whether to look at a flat on the quay .
It'll probably move very quick . 1 bed, but a good price .

MrsPorridge

AC I think you should look at as many places as you can - what have you got to lose? Only time and at the moment you have plenty.

wendym

another_casualty wrote: »

Don't be sorry . it's all constructive
I forgot to,answer your question: blood test is either available in boots( Poole shopping centre) and Poole hospital.
Poole hospital is where I go for anything else .
The doctor never gave me a rubber bag on it to bring , so I'm a bit confused. I'll ask hospital tomorrow . I aim to go early in the morning.
Thanks

I had managed to miss completely this arrangement in some towns. I just take it for granted that blood tests are done in my GP practice.

Hope you didn't have a tedious wait at the hospital. The haematology clinic here is always packed.

another_casualty

Strange day . Sleep pattern still dodgy . Eventually , got ready to go to hospital around 9am. Looking for letter from my previous hsp( which I didn't need). Turns out, I must've left it with doctor on Monday .
Found my hospital numbers( again I didn't need).

Got to Poole hsp . Waited about 40 mins . Saw nice nurse,and we had a chat while being injected. Picked up prescription on way back.
I don't know why they think there are only 28 days in the month.
I used to get 2 months prescription in twickenham . I did ask online , but as a new patient I have to bite the bullet for time being.
Collected glasses from optician . Very professional and friendly .

Lovely sunny day . Went back to bed for an 'hour'. Could've stayed longer .
Something told me to get up. Saw massive hoses . The 'window cleaner'
the landlady mentioned 2 weeks ago was a huge industrial hose being pointed at every window .
Booked a viewing for poole quay flat for Monday morning.

I must start getting my finger out . Maybe the new sleeping pattern will
motivate me .
Still no lucozade today . Just a small can of diet ginger beer. Avoiding headaches and weening off slowly .
I feel like I've wasted a month , time waits for no one etc

Forgot to mention ecg has to be requested by dr. So I could've went to boots for blood test after all . Father ted syndrome for me at the moment

harz99

AC, the 28 day medication cycle is a directive from on high and is standard across the UK. You are able to request extra for specific reasons like holidays. It is designed to stop wastage and saves money - apparently.

So the likelihood of regular prescriptions for longer periods is nil.

dreaming

I am lucky enough to have a chemist just round the corner from me(literally 3 minutes walk) and they order and supply my monthly prescriptions. I used to do it online but then have to get in the car to pick it up from doctors then take to chemist so that saves me a car journey a month. Still have to go for 6 monthly review and blood test but can't remember when I last went to doctors because I was "ill".
Lovely sunny day here but frosty - just right for going for a lovey bracing walk followed by hot chocolate. So what am I doing? Trying to sort my bedroom out which became a bit of a dumping ground (albeit in storage boxes under the bed) when eldest moved in 3 years ago. Stuff gets moved around but I want to really go through it and try to either find somewhere to store it properly, or get rid of it. Have joined a new craft club so need to get to my bits and pieces to find something to make. The club meets in a hall just 10 minutes walk from me which I never knew existed as it is tucked away a bit. I am trying to find things to do which don't need much outlay (club charge £1 for unlimited tea/coffee and you take your own materials) or a car journey as I try to recoup the vet bill I just had to pay. Doing well on shopping this month too as only buying fresh fruit/veg/bread and milk. May be having some rather strange meals in the next couple of weeks as I use up what I have but it's all food isn't it? Still no cola - making do with tea, water, and 2 glasses grapefruit squash a day.
Keep looking at properties AC - the "right" one will come up soon. As I have said before - try to work out what is most important to you but then be prepared to compromise a little as well. Have a good weekend.

another_casualty

Thanks dreaming &harz
Good luck with the craft club dreaming . Sounds good .
I went to a guitar shop,today . Just browsing went to Westbourne .
Too busy to get a coffee.
Was a nice sunny day

harz99

Afternoon AC. In the spirit of "getting your/my finger out", with respect you are still running before you can walk IMHO.


By all means go and look at properties, but until you sort out a realistic view of your work prospects, both with your GP and whatever agencies there are, I don't think you should be making any offers yet.


Given your medical condition, you really do need to evaluate better what the future may hold.


Unless I've misread somewhere along the line, your MG started whilst you were working at the employer that you just resigned from, and to some degree they worked around this with you. A potential new employer may not take that view, and may well choose to employ a fully fit person over yourself. Don't assume it will be easy to find work.


So, go talk to the agencies in Poole/Bournemouth and see what they have on their books to offer, and please talk again to your GP.


Then set yourself a realistic budget for all your living expenses except service charges/ground rent for each year up to you drawing State Pension. That gives you what you could need if the worst came to the worst and no job is forthcoming. Then add on around £1500 per year for service charges etc. in a leasehold flat and you have your absolute worst case scenario.


That exercise should be a massive wake up call, and give an indication of what property you really can afford.


Then there is the matter of your outstanding debts, these need sorting sooner rather than later, after all it would be pretty pointless to end up buying an expensive to run flat and then still being in debt. That would make the whole exercise and effort so far pointless.


Now, many of the reasons why I and others keep steering you towards a freehold house, instead of a flat, are obvious and have been aired already except one.


Equity release. Not something I would advocate for most people to even consider, however for a single person like yourself with no immediate family to worry about and leave property to, that route can be a godsend in releasing capital in your later years as a way to make life more comfortable in those years. A freehold house is much more likely to be eligible in the future for such means than a leasehold flat.


And as I've said before, at present your haemorrhaging cash from your pot just living, please, please find out whether you can get any sort of benefit to cut your loss down, the CAB might be a good place to start.


Again as I've said before, sorry to be blunt but that clock is ticking. No need for panic, just method and application. Good luck.

lessonlearned

Harz.......excellent post and fantastic sound advice.

Little did I know when I gave up a very lucrative career in 2006 to care for my husband that I would never return to work. It was only ever meant to be temporary whilst he got well again. Well the rest is history.

Further.....The years looking after him ruined my own health......this week my IBS has been ferocious - there is no way I could have gone to work this week.

AC. You never know what nasty little shocks the fates have in store for us.

Harz is so right - given the combination of both your age and your condition you must plan for the worst case scenario.

dreaming

harz99 wrote: »

And as I've said before, at present your haemorrhaging cash from your pot just living, please, please find out whether you can get any sort of benefit to cut your loss down, the CAB might be a good place to start.
QUOTE]


Very good post harz99, although I disagree on a couple of points. Personally I would be looking for somewhere to buy fairly quickly in order to feel settled, but agree it would be good idea to look at job prospects to see what area would suit. Then I would pay off debts (hopefully with settlement discount).
I'm no expert on benefits by any means, and having tried to help eldest over the last couple of years know it is a minefield. However I believe that having the house proceeds in the bank will mean that no help is available (which is why I suggested buying the property first). I remember when we were all made redundant that those who were looking for work could only claim a very small amount due to having redundancy monies, and it was for a very limited time. Definitely try the CAB AC, but please don't start panicking. As harz says, it just needs a bit of application and effort, but I am confident it will all work out. So look at guitars by all means but no buying.